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LowCards.com does not include all credit card companies or every available credit card offer. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information, however credit card offers change frequently. After you click on an offer you will be directed to the credit card issuer’s secure web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your offer.

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Authorities Bust Worldwide Credit Card Ring that Stole $200 Million

The U.S. Justice Department announced charges against 18 people who bilked financial institutions out of at least $200 million in an international credit card fraud scheme. This would be one of the biggest credit card scams ever broken up by the U.S. Justice Department.

Charges were filed in U.S. District Court in Newark. The fraud occurred in at least 28 states and eight countries. Court papers say that millions of dollars were wired to India, Pakistan, Canada, Romania, China, Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

Authorities believe the scam started ten years ago. The ring used 1,800 different addresses to create thousands of false identities. The thieves sent fictitious reports to credit agencies which persuaded the agencies to give the fictitious people excellent credit scores. They used these identities and scores to obtain 25,000 credit cards.

The scammers started out with small purchases over an extended time. The excellent credit scores gave the thieves higher credit limits to run up large loans that they never repaid.

They also set up at least 80 false companies that did little or no legitimate business. They allegedly set up terminals that rang up false charges, using the money to buy electronics, spa treatment, luxury automobiles and gold. Millions of dollars were wired overseas.

Prosecutors said Muhammad Shafiq and Babar Qureshi, of Iselin, N.J., were the ringleaders. The defendants are scheduled to appear this afternoon in a Newark federal court.

LowCards.com is an independent, for-profit web site. LowCards.com participates in the Affiliate Network, and receives compensation from most of the credit card issuers whose offers appear on the site. This compensation helps support our website and enables us to write insightful articles to help you manage your credit card accounts. This compensation, as well as the likelihood of applicants’ credit approval and our own proprietary website guidelines, may impact how and where the cards appear on our site.

LowCards.com does not include all credit card companies or every available credit card offer. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information, however credit card offers change frequently. After you click on an offer you will be directed to the credit card issuer’s secure web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your offer.

About Bill Hardekopf

Bill Hardekopf is the CEO of LowCards.com and covers the credit card industry from all perspectives. Bill has been involved with personal finance for over 12 years. He is a frequent contributor to Forbes, The Street and The Christian Science Monitor. Bill can be contacted directly at billh@lowcards.com

Editorial Note: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer affiliate program. See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information, however all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on an offer you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your offer.

Advertiser Disclosure: LowCards.com is an independent, for-profit web site. LowCards.com participates in the Affiliate Network, and receives compensation from most of the credit card issuers whose offers appear on the site. This compensation helps support our website and enables us to write insightful articles to help you manage your credit card accounts. This compensation, as well as the likelihood of applicants’ credit approval and our own proprietary website guidelines, may impact how and where the cards appear on our site.

LowCards.com does not include all credit card companies or every available credit card offer. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information, however credit card offers change frequently. After you click on an offer you will be directed to the credit card issuer’s secure web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your offer.